Consecration Of The Lodge Of The Quatuor Coronati, No. 2076.

with . ThL lodge will be the platform where literary Masons can meet together to assist each other in developing the history of the Crafts ; much has already been done by the brethren in this way individually , but we can confidently expect more when they can word together . I am only a novice in such matters , but I can believe that when the brethren here present have rolled away the mist that now surrounds the subject we shall be astonished at the result obtained .

The vote of thanks to the Consecrating Officers having been seconded by the acting I . P . M ., was carried unanimously , and acknowledged in graceful terms by the GRAND SECRETARY . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER next moved , and Bro . WOODFORD seconded , a cordial vote of thanks to the Committee of the Emulation Lodge of

Improvement for kindly lending the furniture and jewels , which were used at the ceremonies of the evening . This motion was carried " nem . con ., " and Bro . FENN said it would give much pleasure to communicate the resolution passed by the lodge of the Quatuor Coronati to the other members of the Committee ( Emulation ) .

The following brethren were proposed as joining members : Bros . Wm . Simpson , 860 , Fellow of the Royal Institute of Painters , Hon . Associate R . I . B . A ., author of " Meeting the Sun , a Journey all round the World , " "Arkite Ceremonies in the Himalayas , " "An Artist ' s Jottings in Abyssinia , " and a frequent contributor to the "Transactions " of the Learned Societies ; W . M . Bywater , P . M . 19 , author of " The Histoiy of the

Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 , and "Some Notes on Lawrence Dermott ; " Major F . G . Irwin , P . M . 153 , P . P . G . W . Andalusia , formerly editor of the "Sappqr , " and noted for his large collection of medals and Masonic works—a contributor for more than a quarter of a century to the journals of the Craft ; T . B . Whytehead , P . M . 1611 , P . P . G . S . W . North and East Yorkshire , author of the " History of the Mark

Degree , "The Connection between the Knights Templars and the Freemasons of York , " " Freemasonry in York in the Seventeenth Century , " " Some Ancient York Masons , and their Early Haunts , " " Notes of Some of the Older Rosicrucians , " 8 rc , also of numerous articles in the Masonic journals , both at home and abroad ; E . L . Hawkins , P . M . 357 and 478 , Prov . G . Sec . and P , Prov . G . W . Oxon , authorof " History of Freemasonry

in Oxfordshire , " " The Red Apron Lodges , " " Freemasonry in Masachusetts , " and who has also published a translation of the " Pope's Encyclical —De Secta Massonum , " and an edition of " Aristotle ' s Ethics "; and J . Ramsden Riley , P . M . 387 , P . P . G . D . of Ceremonies W . Yorkshire , author of " History of the Airedale Lodge , No . 387 , " "A Record of the Progress of Freemasonry in Yorkshire , " and " The Yorkshire Lodges , " also a wellknown writer in the columns of the Freemason .

The lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Holborn Restaurant .

In proposing " 1 he Health of the Grand Officers , the WORSHIPFUL MASTER said -. Were I to enlarge upon this toast I should only anticipate the few observations with which I have to introduce the toast next in order , as all the visiting Grand Officers assisted at the consecration . Inasmuch , however , as it will devolve upon the Grand Secretary to reply for the Consecrating Officers , I shall associate with the present toast Bro . Thos . Fenn ,

President of the Board of General Purposes , who has also filled the offices of Assistant Grand Dir . of Cers ., and of Grand Deacon , and whose labours , pre-eminently at the dedication of Freemasons' Hall , at the installation of the Grand Master , at the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of Truro Cathedral , and for along series of yearj in connection with the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , are well-known and appreciated by the Craft .

Bro . FENN , in acknowledging the toast , said : Worshipful Master—Knowing that a Grand Chaplain must necessarily be present at a consecration , I did not expect to be called upon to respond to this toast . I presume I am selected as one of those Grand Officers who you have honoured by a vote of thanks for having assisted in the consecration of your lodge , and who on that account may be considered the real " Quatuor Coronati " of the

evening . There is , however , a slight difference between us and the f > reat originals—we cannot in any way be considered martyrs , and we are not five . But Bro . Gould , in his interesting chapter on the Quatuor Coronati , has solved a very difficult problem in arithmetic by proving—and I think it must be admitted satisfactorily—that four are five , so that in that respect we may be allowed to resemble them . As I understand that this lodge has

been formed to settle knotty points in Masonic history , this problem will probabl y be one of your subjects of discussion . There is also another subject of interest to you in this same chapter . Bro . Gould has there arrived at the conclusion that these four martyrs , or five martyrs compressed into lour , had nothing whatever to do with Masonry , so that the " raison d ' etre" of the name you have adopted for your lodge should be a subject

to engage your earliest attention . I notice from what fell from Bro . Woodford in his address that there is a difference of opinion between himself and Bro . Gould , so that you are already provided with ample matter for lively argument , which , no doubt , will be very interesting to the members , and result , let us hope , in a satisfactory solution of some of those doubts which have lately disturbed the Craft . We shall know perhaps before lone , with

some degree of certainty , whether Sir Christopher Wren was a Grand Master , or whether he was no Mason at all . In thanking you on the part of the Grand Officers for the compliment you have paid them , they will , I am sure , join with me in expressing a hope that in all your discussions you will be guided by a true Masonic spirit , and , to use the words of the great Bard of

_Avon—Doas adversaries do in law-Strive mightily ; but eat and drink as friends . The GRAND SECRETARY then proposed " The Health of the W . M ., " and , in doing so , dwelt on the former services of Bro . Sir C . Warren , both

as a Mason and when in charge of the Jerusalem exploration expedition , in which latter capacity he brought to light so much of peculiar interest to students of Masonic tradition and ritual . He also alluded to his recent distinguished services in Bechuanaland , and heartily congratulated the lodge in having been able to secure him as their first W . M .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER said he was very pleased and proud to be made the first W . M . of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , which he thought had a distinct and useful work before it , which would act to the benefit of the Craft generally . He entirely approved of the principle on which it was founded . The W . M . remarked

further that he had been much pleased also with the Oration , as he thought the legends of the past in their connection with Freemasonry claimed the close attention of Masonic students . He had himself , he confessed , rather turned his attention to the far Oriental legends , and had not as yet studied the mediaeval legends ; but bethought the study of both would subserve the interest of Masonic culture . He was of opinion that

Consecration Of The Lodge Of The Quatuor Coronati, No. 2076.

the arrangement of lodges , for instance , was much older than was generally believed , and it was very probable , he thought , that the Jewish Masons had derived the idea of managing a lodge from the Phcenican temples , which were west and east , instead of the temple being , as it was , east and west . But , he repeated , all these matters and many like them could be studied by the adepts of this new lodge . The W . M . went on to say that he saw the

difficulties before the lodge , which were many and peculiar . It was possible that some brethren would be offended who were left out , and others , who might seek to press in , without possessing those qualifications which the founders of the lodge desired to set up as a test of membershi p . He hoped , however , that the Quatuor Coronati would resolutely grapple with and overcome these and all other difficulties , and any help he could give , either

at home or abroad , was at their service . In 1 S 61 it was proposed to establish a military lodge with very much the same design , but yielding to the advice of the Grand Secretary of that day , the scheme was abandoned . In 1 S 6 9 a Masonic Discussion Society was sought to be founded , but the idea also fell through . In 1 S 72 ( said the W . M . ) , with our Treasurer , Bro . Besant , and

others , I endeavoured to form a Masonic society , by means of which papers on Masonic subjects might be read and printed , but this project also had to be g iven up ; and therefore it afforded me peculiar gratification to become a founder—and by the kindness of my brethren—the first Master of the lodge which , under such happy auspices , has been consecrated this day .

The next toast—that of "The Consecrating Officers "—was then proposed in happy terms by the W . M ., who specially alluded to the great kindness and courtesy exhibited at all times by the Grand Secretary . In the course of a very interesting response , Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE remarked that so much having been said during the evening about the founders of the lodge representing nine martyrs , the Consecrating Officers must , in a certain sense , be regarded as their executioners .

To the toast of " The Officers , which concluded the proceedings , Bro . GOULD replied , and said that rather more than a year ago a petition for a charter was sent in ; but whilst lying in the Grand Secretary's office , the W . M . designate was ordered to South Africa . Sir C . Warren had suggested that some other brother should take his place as Master . This _course , however , the lodge declined to adopt . The members were content to wait

patiently until the lodge could be consecrated . Nor were they without compensation for the delay . In the first place they were presided over by the worthy and distinguished brother they had chosen as Master , and secondly the very delay itself was sufficiently conclusive of the fact , that the lodgeowed its existence , not to any sudden impulse or transient enthusiasm , but to the deeply rooted belief of a small body of brethren interested in literature and

_archaeology , that their favourite studies would derive a fresh impetus from the formation of a lodge like that of Quatuor Coronati . Bro . Gould said he had only a few words to add . Last year , in proportion as the affairs of South Africa appeared to prosper , so did those of the new lodge seem to decline . It almost looked as if Sir Charles Warren would be detained at the Cape , if not for the term of his natural life , at least for a good slice of it .

But " it is an ill wind that blows no one any good , and however unfortunate it may have been for South Africa to lose the services of so capable and resolute a soldier and administrator , what has been their loss , has been our gain ; and I can assure the brethren present that the officers of the lodge enter upon the active discharge of their duties , with every feeling of confidence and reliance , under the sway of the able and distinguished brother who so wotthily fills the chair .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Shropshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SHROPSHIRE .

CONSECRATION OF THE BROWNLOW LODGE , No . 2131 . A Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Town Hall , Ellesmere , on Monday , the 4 th inst ., by Bro . Offley Wakeman , Bart ., for the purpose of consecrating the above lodge . The brethren present were : Bros . W . E . Harding , P . G . J . W . ; the Revs . W . Humphreys and J . B . Meredith , P . G , Chaps . ; J . P . White , P . G . Treas . ; V . C . L . Crump , P . G . Reg .,- W . H . _Spaull , P . G . Sec ; J . Maclardy , P _. G . S . D . ; W . Lascelles Southwell , P . G . J . D . ; Thomas _[ ame _^ , P . G . S . of W . j T . Warren Thompson , P . G . D . of C . ; R . A . Craig , G . J . _Murgan

, P . G . Std . Br . ; J . Sewell , P . G . O . ; R . Brayne , P . G . S _: c _; J . Machin _, P . G . A . P . ; T . B . Hyde , Tyler ; J . bmith , J . Cinders and | . Blockley , P . G . Stwds . ; J . F . Edisbury , P . G . J . W . North Wales ; E . Andrew , P . P . G . W . ; Thomas Roberts and W . Putman , P . P . G . D . ; A . T . Akeroyd , P . P . G . O . ; W . B . Newnes , P . P . G . Tyler ; C . K . Benson , P . P . G . P . North Wales ; the Rev . H . K . Southwell , 357 i A . C . Williams , 721 ; f . W . Lawrence , 2131 ; E . W . Prevost , 592 ; W . Belton , W . M ., A . C . Townsend . J . W ., and W . j . Ogg , allot 117 ; ICyffin G . Salter , and Geo . Bonner , of 1124 ; J . H . Parsons , I . P . M ., J . Whitridge , P . M ., J . England , S . W ., J . H . Tomb , and C . J . Fotherby , all uf 1432 ; B . Bastow , W . M . 1575 ; J . H . Cooksey , W . M ., Thos . Pratt , P . M ., Sec ; and H . E . Roberts . S . W _., all of 1621 .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened , and letters were read from the Deputy P . G . M . and a number of other brethren apologising for their absence . All the lodges of the province were represented . The draft bye-laws for governing the P . G . Lodge were submitted by the Committee to draw them up , and , after a few amendments , were approved . The R . W . P . G . M ., assisted by the P . G . Secretary , then proceeded to

consecrate the Brownlow Lodge , No . 2131 . The lodge was opened in the Three Degrees , and Bro . Rev . W . HUMPHREYS , P . G . Chaplain , delivered an oration , in which he congratulated the R . W . P . G . M . that his first official act since his installation should be to consecrate a new lodge , also that Masonry was increasing in the province . This was a matter of congratulation in these days of controversy , as the Masonic lodge was common ground on which men of all creeds and politics could meet as brothers .

Prayer having been offered by the Rev . J . B . MEREDITH , P . G . Chap ., and the censer with incense having been carried round the lodge , the lodge was solemnly consecrated by the R . W . P . G . M . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . The R . W . P . G . M ., assisted by Bro . V . C . L . Crump , P . G . Reg ., and Bro . T . Warren Thompson , P . G . D . of C , installed Bro . E . W . Prevost the first W . M . of the Brownlow

_Lodo-e , who , after the ceremony was completed , invested the following officers ? Bros . A . T . Akeroyd , S . W . ; W . J . Ogg , J . W . ; K . G . Salter , Treas . ; the Rev . H . K . Southwell , S . D . ; the Rev . H . Poole King , J . D . ; and J . W . Lawrence , I . G . The names of some gentlemen were propoed for initiation . The bye-laws were approved , and , after " Hearty good

wishes , " the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Bridgewater Hotel , where a banquet was excellently served by Bro . _Liwrcnce . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given , and it was announced that the R . W . P . G . M ., Sir Ofney Wakeman , Bart ., had consented to preside at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls in May , 188 7 , at the Freemasons' Hall , London . It was alsosaid that the Masonic Charities distributed last year amounted to over _^ 64 , 000 .